Tuesday, June 02, 2009

Yes, it's time once again for another song alalysis. I've got some requests but this song by the Charlie Daniel's Band just begged for an analysis. Yeah, I'm still stuck in the 70s, but come on, they're just so damned stupifying...The devil went down to Georgia, he was looking for a soul to steal.He was in a bind 'cos he was way behind: he was willin' to make a deal.

The Devil doesn’t seem to be nearly the fun party guy or even smart for that matter. Why is he looking in Georgia? He should be in the Grand Cayman Islands basking in the hot sun. He’s not going to get skin cancer, he’s the Devil! Plus there are plenty of drunken sunburned tourists that would probably give him their soul for another drink.

Also…does the Devil really have a count and a quota to reach? Who in the hell would he have to report that to? I mean…he’s the Devil! He doesn’t report to anyone. Lame concept, indeed!

When he came across this young man sawin' on a fiddle and playin' it hot.And the devil jumped upon a hickory stump and said: "Boy let me tell you what:"I bet you didn't know it, but I'm a fiddle player too."And if you'd care to take a dare, I'll make a bet with you.

Really? The Devil plays the fiddle? Where exactly did the Devil learn fiddle playing from, Julliard? Or is it that the devil simply knows how to do everything.

"Now you play a pretty good fiddle, boy, but give the devil his due:"I bet a fiddle of gold against your soul, 'cos I think I'm better than you."

Oh now this is dumb. Can’t we work with cash here? A golden fiddle is ridiculous. First of all, it’s way too heavy to actually play and without the wood it’ll sound terrible. Secondly, you’d just have to go through the hassle to melt it down or sell it on Ebay so you can pay the mortgage, anyway.

The boy said: "My name's Johnny and it might be a sin,"But I'll take your bet, your gonna regret, 'cos I'm the best that's ever been."

Is there really a reason why we need to know his first name? Wouldn’t the Devil already have that information? He's the Devil!!! We really haven’t had a lot of character building into the song so I don’t think putting a name to our innocent fiddler necessarily completes that task. Oh, and secretly at this point I’m sort of hoping the Devil wins just because Johnny is so full of himself.

Johnny you rosin up your bow and play your fiddle hard.'Cos hells broke loose in Georgia and the devil deals it hard.And if you win you get this shiny fiddle made of gold.But if you lose, the devil gets your soul.

What exactly constitutes hell breaking loose? You hear that all the time. Who binded up hell in the first place? No wonder they're always pissed off in hell.

The devil opened up his case and he said: "I'll start this show."And fire flew from his fingertips as he resined up his bow.

Remember, folks, pyrotechnics during the performance only counts for a quarter of the overall score. And pay no attention to the fact that flaming fingertips would probably melt the strings and burn the fiddle.

And he pulled the bow across his strings and it made an evil hiss.Then a band of demons joined in and it sounded something like this.

Wait-a-minute here; where did the band of demons come from? Nobody said this was a band competition. It takes time to find suitable bandmates that play well with you and don’t overdose. The devil isn’t playing fair….duh!

When the devil finished, Johnny said: "Well you're pretty good ol' son."But if you'll sit down in that chair, right there, and let me show you how its done."

Ok, but where will the band of demons sit? Can you see them all politely sitting and listening to Johnny’s solo performance? I can’t either…

Fire on the moun, run boys, run.The devil's in the house of the risin' sun.Chicken in the bread pin, pickin' out dough."Granny, does your dog bite?""No, child, no."

Errr…why does the Devil want this guys soul? He’s not making a lot of sense. I have no idea what in the hell he’s saying or playing here. Something about doughy chicken that Granny is making for the Devil and her dog I guess…

The devil bowed his head because he knew that he'd been beat.He laid that golden fiddle on the ground at Johnny's feet.

You know, what is this whole notion that the Devil is going to play fair after losing the challenge? First of all, who determined Johnny won? The band of demons? Second of all, why would the Devil play fair and actually give him the golden fiddle? He’s the Devil!!!! Of course he’s going to cheat and lie. It’s like some sort of unwritten law that the devil must abide to his offerings or something. Yeah, right!

Johnny said: "Devil just come on back if you ever want to try again."I told you once, you son of a bitch, I'm the best that's ever been."

Of course telling the Devil that he’s a son of a bitch is probably just a compliment. Just wait until he comes back to collect Johnny’s soul for all the sins he’s committed throughout his life. We’ll see who’s laughing then…

So often I find it difficult to come up with a decent comment re: your posts because I end up just sitting here laughing once I’ve read them – thinking clearly is not happening.This is one of those times! Well done.

Ok first Im gonna be picky....why didnt you change "the Devil" to red color when you wrote about it after all you are writing about the "devil"? Ok and as far as the song goes your right where did his band come from? and how the hell is that fair to Johnny? And why did he give up just like that after all like you said he's the "devil" As far as my learnings go he is neither fair nor just. Oh my gosh I gotta get a life.

Hell breaks loose around here ALL THE TIME, so I can tell you, with a fair amount of certainty that when hell breaks loose it almost always involves small children. Hell hath no fury like an angry toddler!

Now I've got to download that song from iTunes...it's going to be going through my head all day long! And the movie Urban Cowboy will be too...

The band of demons joining in has always bugged the shit out of me! Where'd they come from and why are they allowed to help the Devil? I've always wondered that.

That being said, I've never thought Johnny's part of the song was better than the Devil (plus demons). If I'd been judging, as horrible as this may sound, the Devil would've won. I'm now going to hell for saying that.

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